Table feed mechanism for machine tool

Abstract

This invention relates to a table feed mechanism of the machine tool. The table feed mechanism of this invention includes a bed; a table slidably mounted on the bed for mounting a work thereon and for defining a plurality of screw holes therein; a plurality of feed screw shafts engageable with the screw holes respectively; and a drive mechanism for simultaneously driving the feed screw shafts to move the table.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A table feed mechanism for a machine tool, comprising: 
       a bed;  
       a table slidably mounted on the bed for mounting a work thereon, said table carrying structure defining at least two parallel screw holes therein;  
       at least two feed screw shafts arranged parallel to one another, each of said at least two feed screw shafts being engageable with a corresponding one of said at least two screw holes; and  
       a drive operable to rotate said at least two feed screw shafts simultaneously to move the table codirectionally with a longitudinal direction of said at least two feed screw shafts.  
     
     
       2. The table feed mechanism according to claim  1  wherein there are two of said threaded feed shafts having parallel longitudinal axes. 
     
     
       3. The table feed mechanism according to claim  1  wherein there are three of said threaded feed shafts having parallel longitudinal axes. 
     
     
       4. The table feed mechanism according to claim  1 , wherein the drive comprises a pinion gear and a gear fixedly mounted to the end of each of said at least two feed screw shafts for engaging with the pinion gear, said drive further comprising a driving component to rotatably drive the pinion gear for moving the table. 
     
     
       5. The table feed mechanism according to claim  4 , wherein the feed screw shafts are oriented in a horizontal manner. 
     
     
       6. A table feed mechanism for a machine tool, comprising: 
       a bed;  
       a table slidably mounted on the bed for mounting a work thereon, said table carrying structure defining parallel screw holes therein;  
       feed screw shafts arranged parallel to one another, each of said feed screw shafts being engageable with a respective one of said screw holes; and  
       drive means for simultaneously driving said plurality of feed screw shafts to move the table codirectionally with a longitudinal direction of said feed screw shafts, said drive comprising a pinion gear and a gear fixedly mounted to the end of each feed screw shaft for engaging with the pinion gear, said drive means further comprising a driving component to drive the pinion gear for moving the table, wherein the pinion gear is in the form of a double gear having a first pinion on one end and a second pinion on the other end and the gear fixedly mounted to the end of each feed screw shaft is engageable with the first pinion and the driving component drives the second pinion gear.  
     
     
       7. A table feed apparatus for a machine tool comprising: 
       a bed;  
       a table slidably mounted on the bed for mounting a work thereon, said table having threaded holes each having a longitudinal axis, at least two of said threaded holes having parallel longitudinal axes;  
       at least two threaded feed shafts having parallel longitudinal axes parallel to the longitudinal axes of said at least two threaded holes, each of said at least two threaded feed shafts threadedly engaging a respective one of said at least two threaded holes; and  
       a drive mechanism for rotatably driving each of the at least two feed screws simultaneously to thereby effect movement of said table in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes of said at least two feed shafts.  
     
     
       8. A table feed mechanism according to claim  7  wherein said table includes a further threaded hole having a longitudinal axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said at least two threaded holes, a further threaded feed shaft having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to said parallel longitudinal axes of said at least two threaded feed shafts, said further feed shaft threadedly engaging said further threaded hole in said table, and a further drive mechanism for rotatably driving said further feed screw to thereby effect movement of said table in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the table effected by said at least two feed screws. 
     
     
       9. A table feed mechanism for a machine tool, comprising: 
       a bed;  
       a table slidably mounted on the bed for mounting a work thereon, said table having threaded holes each having a longitudinal axis, at least two of said threaded holes having parallel longitudinal axes;  
       at least two threaded feed shafts having parallel longitudinal axes codirectional with the longitudinal axes of said at least two threaded holes, each of said at least two threaded feed shafts threadedly engaging a respective one of said at least two threaded holes; and  
       a drive mechanism for driving each of the at least two feed screws simultaneously to thereby effect movement of said table in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes of said at least two feed shafts, wherein said drive mechanism comprises a shaft gear fixedly mounted on each of said at least two feed shafts, a first and a second pinion gear fixedly mounted on a pinion shaft, said first pinion simultaneously engaging each of said shaft gears on each of said at least two feed shafts, and a driving component driving said second pinion.  
     
     
       10. A table feed apparatus for a machine tool comprising: 
       a bed;  
       a table slidably mounted on the bed for mounting a work thereon, said table having threaded holes each having a longitudinal axis, at least two of said threaded holes having parallel longitudinal axes;  
       at least two threaded feed shafts having parallel longitudinal axes which are codirectional with the longitudinal axes of said at least two threaded holes, each of said at least two threaded feed shafts threadedly engaging a respective one of said at least two threaded holes;  
       a first drive mechanism for rotatably driving each of the at least two feed screws simultaneously to thereby effect movement of said table codirectionally with the longitudinal axes of said at least two feed shafts;  
       said table including a further threaded hole having a longitudinal axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said at least two threaded holes;  
       a further threaded feed shaft having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to said parallel longitudinal axes of said at least two threaded feed shafts, said further feed shaft threadedly engaging said further threaded hole in said table; and  
       a second drive mechanism for rotatably driving said further feed screw to thereby effect movement of said table in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the table effected by said at least two feed screws.  
     
     
       11. A table feed mechanism for a machine tool, comprising: 
       a bed;  
       a table slidably mounted on the bed for mounting a work thereon, said table having threaded holes each having a longitudinal axis, at least two of said threaded holes having parallel longitudinal axes;  
       at least two threaded feed shafts having parallel longitudinal axes codirectional with the longitudinal axes of said at least two threaded holes, each of said at least two threaded feed shafts threadedly engaging a respective one of said at least two threaded holes;  
       a first drive mechanism for driving each of the at least two feed screws simultaneously to thereby effect movement of said table codirectionally with the longitudinal axes of said at least two feed shafts;  
       said table including a further threaded hole having a longitudinal axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said at least two threaded holes;  
       a further threaded feed shaft having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to said parallel longitudinal axes of said at least two threaded feed shafts, said further feed shaft threadedly engaging said further threaded hole in said table; and  
       a second drive mechanism for driving said further feed screw to thereby effect movement of said table in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the table effected by said at least two feed screws, wherein said first drive mechanism comprises a shaft gear fixedly mounted on each of said at least two feed shafts, a first and a second pinion gear fixedly mounted on a pinion shaft, said first pinion simultaneously engaging each of said shaft gears on each of said at least two feed shafts, and a driving component driving said second pinion.  
     
     
       12. A table feed mechanism for a machine tool, comprising: 
       a bed having a pair of guide portions extending along a first direction;  
       a table having lateral ends along a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction, the table being slidably mounted on the bed along the first direction for mounting a work thereon, said table including at least two parallel screw holes formed therein laterally inward from said lateral ends of the table, said lateral ends of the table being slidably supported by the guide portions;  
       at least two feed screw shafts each engageable with a respective one of said at least two screw holes; and  
       a drive operable to simultaneously rotate said at least two feed screw shafts to move the table codirectionally with a longitudinal direction of said at least two feed screw shafts.